nVIDIA PureVideo and High Definition Content

High
definition is the future entertainment standard of tomorrow's video's. Playing
high definition content on current generation PCs can bog down even the
fastest processors because there is more data to handle. Similar to the need for DVD
accelerators a few years ago, nVIDIA PureVideo enables computer users to view
MPEG-2/DVD and WMV9 High Definition formats on the monitor without slowing
the system to a crawl.

The PureVideo
standard incorporates a hardware accelerator for the afore mentioned MPEG-2/DVD,
and Microsoft Windows Media High Definition Video standards (WMV9 HD).
According to nVIDIA's documentation on PureVideo, the GPU (GeForce 6, 7 and 8
series GPUs) takes on video decoding tasks from the CPU, and the end result is
smoother, shutter free High Definition playback. nVIDIA PureVideo also supports
most current and future high definition formats.

PureVideo
is more than just a media accelerator; it also includes features to improve
video picture quality. DVD, cable and satellite video provide poor crispness,
clearness and smoothness that consumers have been desperate to be "saved from."
nVIDIA's PureVideo technology applies spatial temporal de-interlacing to
apparently deliver a better image than traditional de-interlacing can muster.

PureVideo
also fixes the 3:2 pull down problem that can arise from 24 fps video being
converted to 30 fps for viewing on TVs or monitors. By recovering the original
24 frame content, PureVideo allows for a clear crisper image.

Examining CPU Load with PureVideo

To test
PureVideo's High Definition accelerating capabilities on the MSI
NX8800GTS-T2D320E-HD-OC, we'll playback a video downloaded from Microsoft's WMV HD Content Showcase
through Windows Media Player 10. "The Discoverers" (IMAX) video is available in
both 720P and 1080P formats. AMD processor utilization will be monitored via
Task Manager.

When running the 720P version of the
Discoverers video, CPU usage jumps between 18-23% which is very good. It leaves
plenty of system resources for the rest of the system and other background
tasks.

CPU usage when
running the 1080P version of the Discoverers video was a bit higher, usually hovering
between 20-29%. Definitely not bad and again it leaves plenty of
CPU power for whatever else you're running in the background. Up next PCSTATS overclocks
this Geforce 8800GTS 320MB videocard!